DRAFTING OF A PATENT APPLICATION AS A STRATEGY FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION - Conference Paper

Oct 23, 2026

This article presents the process of using patent drafting as an academic strategy to strengthen engineering design education. It describes how a free elective course on creativity, ecodesign, and patents guides student groups from selecting a design topic to searching prior patents, generating sketches, and drafting patent claims. A case study on a refrigerator redesign for energy saving and efficiency improvement is reported, along with a student survey and extracted conclusions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

1 Introduction

2 Methodology

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION 6 & 7 SEPTEMBER 2012, ARTESIS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, ANTWERP, BELGIUM DRAFTING OF A PATENT APPLICATION AS A STRATEGY FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION Joaquim LLOVERAS Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) ABSTRACT This article highlights the process of designing, with drafting a patent as strategy to improve the designs of new products, in academia. The patent system discourages the copy of registered technologies, and it allows the investment of resources in applied research to do new products. Currently the patent system is not much used in engineering design education, but it is necessary to prepare future engineers towards product innovation. In this article is explained the experience carried out in new product design and drafting patent in a free elective course entitled: Creativity, Ecodesign and Patents. It is commented the methodology of this process, from the election of the topic work of each group of students, to the drafting a corresponding patent. A case study of one work group of 2011-12 academic year, deals of a refrigerator redesign, in order to save energy and increase their efficiency. A patent application for this work was done and the group of students showed their interest and extra dedication to make it. A survey conducted to students about their experience of this course is discussed and some conclusions are extracted. Even if students do not perform patents in their future professional careers, the strategy of writing a patent is a good academic exercise to organize and improve the final design. Keywords: Patent drafting, engineering education, creativity, conceptual design 1 INTRODUCTION The one definition of "patent" in Oxford Dictionaries [1] is: a government authority or licence conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention. Then, basically, a patent is a document that describes a technical invention that is new in the world, and the patent owner may produce and market the product as if it were a monopoly, for a limited period of time. Thus, the patent owner can get benefits that allow the recovery of investment in research and technological development. If the patent system did not exist, no one would invest resources in research, because everyone could copy the inventions. So the patent system allows technical developments, which ultimately, can benefit all the society. The patent system is closely related to the engineering design. An engineer uses somehow the patent system to design new products. In a developed economy, as in the European region, having prepared technical staff, but with expensive labour, its technological production tends to focus on design rather than manufacturing for mass production, or for produce special products. Therefore, the patent system, which is directly related to the conception and development of products, it is necessary to protect those inventions in Europe. In this case, the engineering designers need basic knowledge of the patent system and this topic could be better known and practiced in schools of engineering design. But not all engineering designs are patentable or have an economical interest to be patented. Perhaps the patent system is too complex and long-time requiring, in general and especially for some products, for this or other reason, not all new products are finally patented. But that can change, and nowadays exist technology to unify some parts of patent process at world level and make it easier and speedier, for example it is technologically possible the world centralised search of patents and also an unified world examination for each patent. EPDE2012/5215 The free elective course entitled: Creativity, Ecodesign and Patents [2], of 2011-12 academic year, from Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), is structured in five groups each one of five students.

FAQs

Why is patent drafting used in engineering design education?

The article argues that patent drafting discourages copying of registered technologies while enabling applied research investment, and it helps prepare future engineers for product innovation.

What steps are included in the course methodology?

Students are guided to select a motivating topic, sketch and analyze design functions, apply creativity techniques like brainstorming and mind maps, search patents using classification codes, iterate sketches, identify innovations, draft partial patent claims, and redesign the product based on reflections.

How does the case study demonstrate the approach?

A 2011-12 student group redesigned a refrigerator to save energy and increase efficiency; a patent application was drafted for the work, and student feedback from a survey supported the course outcomes.

Oct 23, 2026

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